Topic: Scientific Expedition

Napoleon took 500 "savants"—philosophers, scientists, and engineers—on his Egyptian expedition, a move unprecedented since Alexander the Great. These experts were treated with the same status as military officers and were responsible for the first systematic documentation of Egyptian ruins. This scientific contingent effectively founded the field of modern Egyptology through their rigorous study of ancient sites.

Agnew outlines the logistical difficulties of a planned scientific expedition to the North Pole to take sea floor samples at depths of 4,400 meters. Despite assembling a multidisciplinary team from institutions like MIT and Cambridge, the 2008 economic crash halted funding. He announces an upcoming multi-part documentary series on the History Channel intended to generate interest and funding to rent a decommissioned icebreaker for the voyage.